The Christmas Gift
by Strange Bint
Summary: It's a wonderful life for Faith...yeah right, or maybe it is.


Note: This is just the very beginning of this chapter of the fic! There is a lot more to come. I just posted it like this for now because I'm going to be traveling and I wanted to link it to my fic site before I left. So, I could delude myself with the idea that I actually get hits there. BTW the site 

The Christmas Gift

"You're breaking up with me on Christmas?" Faith bellowed.

People in the café looked over at them and Kennedy made a pained face. Sure, she acted like she was the rebel girl, but there was still the rich little girl in her that cared about what everyone thought. In this case everyone would be Italian strangers in some stupid little brick café. They were always going to these little brick cafés were everyone wore pointy leather shoes. Faith hated pointy shoes. She hated trendy brick cafés. While she was at it she hated Rome and Christmas too.

"I thought you said Christmas was a stupid tired holiday that only made people depressed. You refused to even get presents," Kennedy jerked her lower jaw nervously.

The girl really couldn't stand the idea of no presents. It was totally foreign to her, like this whole café scene was to Faith. The only reason Faith refused presents was because she knew that Kennedy would get her something rock em' sock em'—like when she scored Faith tickets to The Beasties front row, for no reason at all. That was a dream come true for Faith; one she never would have had otherwise. What could Faith give Kennedy that she didn't already have? Sure, she could go the cheesy coupley route and give her a homemade gift—like a coupon for a three hour love-fest. But, Faith knew Kennedy even wanted to get that somewhere else.

"I like to wear red, but I'm no Santa. That's why I get may walking papers on Christmas, or does it have to do with some other chick that sports Red all the time who's back in town," Faith felt her mouth draw back into a smile.

"It's not Christmas. Not yet," Kennedy said.

"Yeah, I think you have seven whole more hours 'till your bestest holiday starts, rich girl. Bet you can't wait. 'What will Mom and Dad try to buy me off with this year for their years of parental neglect? They already financed so much of this Slayer operation. Will I finally get my own jet that would make up for Daddy never coming to watch me at my Slayer in Training staking recitals. Maybe I'll just leave him a little hit on his voice mail and then his secretary could call my voice mail and say how he says Merry Christmas, Kitten. Here's that jet you always wanted.'"

"I don't know why I even feel bad. I forgot how all you chosen Slayers are bitches. I told you things I never told anyone, and all you do is throw it back in my face," Kennedy said in low fury her eyes brimmed with tears.

Faith didn't realize she had the power to hurt Kennedy, or that her now ex-girlfriend had told her sacred things. She just thought K was telling her the typical poor-little-rich-girl-story.

"K, I didn't mean---"

"You never mean anything, Faith. Nothing means anything to you. I don't even know why you care. You were the one that said we were never really together, that it was just some sex thing."

K's tears had disappeared and there was only anger in there place. She was the greatest girl; until things didn't go her way then everything was Faith's fault. Faith couldn't help but be reminded of another Slayer when she pulled shit like this. It was impossible to stay sorry.

"That's because I knew that you were still on the rebound from Red," Faith said.

Kennedy had no response to that except to get a look on her face that Faith had never seen on her. If Faith didn't know any better it looked a lot like guilt, but Faith did know better.

"Red, who's conveniently back in town and looking all cute and smiley again now that she's over not being able to save Angel's waif in LA. Boy, did she bounce back quick. Maybe it's because she found out that sweet little thing turned into a kick ass Goddess. Be careful, Red might leave you for someone she has something more in common with," Faith made sure she smiled but she felt her insides drain as if someone had spit in her face.

"That's the thing," Kennedy said quietly, "You can have so much in common with a girl that it's too much. She's really like a sister to you, but a good one, not a neurotic coke-head half one. I couldn't imagine what my life would have been like if I never met you, Faith. We totally get each other, but I think we're too alike to be together. Sometimes you need a little distance to create bal—"

"So, you aren't even going to deny it!" Faith smashed her fists on the table.

It only to a fraction of a second for her to see Kennedy's sorrowful, but unflinching response. Faith drew her lips back into a smile—a cold one.

"This is all about you wanting to make a play for Red. I want to hear you say it," Faith said.

"Actually, she made a play for me this time around, and I—I couldn't deny how I felt, so—"

"You really are a closet bottom bitch, and Red's a closet top if I've ever met one. She must be reveling in it, that she beat me out for another Slayer. I bet it was her that put you up to this. She told you to come out here and tell me all nice, right away, and you said 'Yes Goddess.' Didn't matter that it was Christmas or that she left you high and dry in Rio. Didn't matter that I left a real fine guy for you, and yes I do like guys. Did she say that was why you could never trust me, or did she drag up some other past stuff? Did she tell you how I fucked Harris?"

"Faith, you didn't leave Wood for me, you knew it was going nowhere the minute he said he wanted out of the mission, and told me how you fucked Harris. You joke about it all the time," Kennedy said firmly.

"Oh yeah," Faith realized, "But, I bet Red talked you into thinking that it was some crime."

"None of this is Willow's fault and you know I don't care about anything you did before. I only care about right now, and right now I know I want to be with Willow, and I know that you are my best friend and I don't want this to change that," Kennedy said.

Faith felt her forehead knot. Kennedy was her best friend? Faith had a best friend? She had a friend; someone that wasn't around just for screwing?

"I want you to know too, I did buy you a Christmas present anyway. I guess now isn't the time for jolly surprises, so I'll just tell you. You know the car we came in, how I said it was a rental? I lied. I bought it for you. So, it's yours. I know how you love old Volkswagens and if you ever drive it into the ocean or the gondola it will float," Kennedy said.

Faith really was a bit slow. It took her a second to realize what Kennedy was saying to her, and Kennedy stared back at her with a half sad smile. They weren't friends, and now Kennedy was screwing her. Trying to buy her off with a fucking car! She didn't want to be with Faith. Kennedy wanted to be with Red and jet off to some Island and email Faith with little smiley faces and say they were best friends. It's what Red and B did now, and Faith wasn't going to play that game.

"Oh gee," Faith drawled, "and all I got for you was the best friend charm. I can't believe you are trying to buy me outta being pissed. I think you know where you can shove your bug."

"Shove my—oh I get it. The car; that's good," Kennedy sniggered, but then her face got that resolved look, "Faith, it's a Christmas gift. I was getting it for you before we even hooked up. I know you'd like one, and they're not expensive."

"Not expensive! This is exactly why I don't do Christmas," Faith laughed, "I can't believe you are sitting here telling me we have too much in common. You have no idea how easy your life is, or what a brat you are! You've gotten everything you've ever wanted, haven't you? You even got the one thing you were never supposed to get—to be a Slayer. It was just handed to you like everything else, and you always knew what you were, what you could be. You have no fucking idea what it's like to be a real Slayer, and you'll never know."

"That's bullshit! I worked hard for everything I have. I give the Slayer's as much guidance as you or Buffy," Kennedy said, and rose to her feet and glared at Faith.

"I knew that would get a rise out of you," Faith smirked, "That's because it's what's most true, isn't it? You're really quite the rich girl socialite—the social climber. You got handed the Slayer gig, so you decide to hook up with the world's most powerful witch that made you what you are. Then she dumps you on your ass. So, you go for the only Chosen Slayer in your reach. Then the witch is back more full of it then ever, so you do a 180, but first to smooth things over, you buy the girl you were slumming with a new toy. One you know she needs, and can't get for herself. I bet if Buffy swung the way of the Slayer--"

"Trust me; you don't want to finish that sentence. I'll get puke on you while I'm kicking your ass," Kennedy said.

"Try it, rich girl. You could use a painful lesson. It'll be fun," Faith smiled rising to her feet.

This is what she wanted from Kennedy if she was going to be thrown away, a real fight. She didn't want the girl's pity and she certainly didn't want to make her cry.

"You know what, Faith. You're right. Maybe we don't have anything in common. I don't attack people for being honest at least not when I respect them. And you know how I feel about respect. Merry Christmas, or not," Kennedy said and threw keys to the bug at Faith.

She caught them before they hit her head. She watched K's dark denim ass walk away from her, forever. Faith looked at the keys. At least she had gotten a car out of the whole thing, and K, she learned a valuable lesson that she really couldn't buy people off. So, Faith had given her something for Christmas, right?

TO BE CONTINUED!!

A/N: Much much more to come!! This is so much more than a Faith/Kennedy Angst fic…but it is going to be different than most of my fics wait…


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